The Saukar Masjid is a

mosque A mosque ( ), also called a masjid ( ), is a place of worship for Muslims. The term usually refers to a covered building, but can be any place where Salah, Islamic prayers are performed; such as an outdoor courtyard. Originally, mosques were si ...

in the

Alappuzha district Alappuzha district (), is one of the 14 Districts of Kerala, districts in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kerala. It was formed as Alleppey district on 17 August 1957, the name of the district being changed to ''Alapp ...

, in the state of

Kerala Kerala ( , ) is a States and union territories of India, state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile ...

, India. Completed in 1850, the mosque is an historically important structure in the Alappuzha district. The original mosque building was renovated in 2022 under the Alappuzha Heritage Project of

Government of Kerala The Government of Kerala (abbreviated as GoK), also known as the Kerala Government, is the administrative body responsible for governing the Indian States and territories of India, state of Kerala. The government is led by a chief minister, who ...

History

Alappuzha was an important commercial and industrial centre in medieval Kerala. Raja Kesava Das, the Diwan of

Travancore The kingdom of Travancore (), also known as the kingdom of Thiruvithamkoor () or later as Travancore State, was a kingdom that lasted from until 1949. It was ruled by the Travancore Royal Family from Padmanabhapuram, and later Thiruvanan ...

, known as the 'creator of modern Alappuzha', made Alappuzha a major port city of Travancore. To improve the spice trade, the Diwan built many roads, canals, and warehouses. Traders and businessmen from throughout India, including Kachi memans,

Gujarati Muslims The term Gujarati Muslim is usually used to signify an Indian Muslim from the state of Gujarat on the western coast of India. Most Gujarati Muslims have the Gujarati language as their mother tongue, but some communities have Urdu as their moth ...

, and Pathans, came Alappuzha in search of employment and market. Many Gujarati Muslim families were invited from

Bombay Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial centre, financial capital and the list of cities i ...

and settled at the initiative of the Diwan. The Diwan had also allotted sites to build places of worship. The Saukar Masjid was built on a land granted by Raja Kesava Das in 1850 to the Halai Memon community who came from

Porbandar Porbandar is a city and the headquarters of Porbandar district in the Indian state of Gujarat. It is the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi and Sudama. It was the former capital of the Porbandar State, Porbandar princely state. Porbandar and Chhaya, ...

in Gujarat.

Location

Saukar Masjid is located in Alappuzha municipality, approximately from the Alappuzha Bus Stand and approximately from the

Alappuzha railway station Alappuzha railway station (also known as Alleppey railway station)(station code: ALLP) is an NSG–3 category Indian railway station in Thiruvananthapuram railway division of Southern Railway zone. It is located in Alappuzha, Kerala and is a ...

Architecture

The Saukar Masjid an historically important structure in Alappuzha. The mosque was built in the Ottoman and Eastern European architectural styles that prevailed at the time of its construction. Considering its age and architectural features, restoration work was carried out as part of the Alappuzha Heritage Project in 2022 and the mosque was converted into a protected place of worship by the Kerala Government.

References

{{Islam in Kerala 19th-century mosques in India Mosques completed in the 1850s Mosques in Kerala Religious buildings and structures completed in 1850 Religious buildings and structures in Alappuzha district Ottoman mosques in India

History

Location

Architecture

See also

References